OORUFC Match Report12th October 2013

Leeds Corinthians 14 vs 15 OORUFC

Following last weeks impressive bonus point victory at Mosborough, Old Otliensians travelled to Leeds Corinthians full of confidence. The team showed several changes owing to player injuries and unavailability. Having won the toss the visitors elected to play in to the wind and soon found themselves on the back foot.

The Corinthians' stand-off pegged Otliensians in their own 22 and from a line-out five yards from the Otliensians line the home pack drove over for a try. The conversion made the score line 7-0. With less than 10 minutes on the clock the Corinthians stand-off again fired a huge kick to the corner. On this occasion the ball took a wicked bounce and the Corinthians winger gathered the ball to score a second try for the home side. The successful conversion made it 14-0 to the home team.

The pattern of play for the first half quickly emerged. Otliensians trying to keep the ball alive and run at the home defence, however, whenever, the visitors made a mistake the Corinthians stand-off or inside centre fired the ball back in to the visitors 22. Half-way through the first half things got even worse for Old Otliensians when centre Nathan Rogers was forced to leave the field with an injury.

With Otliensians making little headway against a solid Leeds defence, Luke Cowdell was introduced in to the game. On the stroke of half-time a powerful run from Cowdell resulted in him forcing his way through the stubborn home defence to score a try near the posts. The conversion made the score 14-7 at the break.

Otliensians kicked-off the second half and immediately had the home team pinned back in their own 22. The home pack was visibly tiring and starting to concede lazy penalties. The Otliensian backs were also starting to find gaps in the home defence. From a set piece on the half-way line Cowdell burst through three tackles only to be halted inches from the try line.

On the hour mark Otliensians were awarded a penalty inside the home 22. Full-back Ben Hatton kicked the penalty to reduce the arrears to 14-10. The visitors were now dominating territory and with 10 minutes remaining forced a scrum five metres from the line. No. 8 Lee O'Donnell picked up from the base of the scrum and drove through two would be tacklers to score in the corner. The conversion was missed, however, Otliensians now had a 15-14 lead.

The final ten minutes were played out in the middle of the park with the home side attempting a couple of long range drop goals which fell well short of the target. Although this was not a classic performance by Old Otliensians it did demonstrate the strength in depth the 1st XV now has and also the determination the team has to bounce back from a losing position.